Woodsides' £4.1m investment in new Volvo fleet

Northern Irish-based transport and logistics company, Woodside Group, has completed the purchase of 45 new Volvo trucks in an investment worth £4.1-million.


Believed to be the largest single fleet vehicle purchase of the last 12 months in Northern Ireland, the new,
mostly Volvo FH tractor units join the 200-strong Woodside fleet to perform a variety of specialist transport functions. The trailer fleet includes curtainsiders, box vans, walking floor trailers, liquid tanks, powder tanks and car transporters.
Woodsides’ Director Mark Woodside says this is the largest order placed with Volvo in the last 10 years and it is due to a number of factors. “We have developed a great relationship with Volvo dealer Dennison Commercials, which is based five miles away from the Woodside distribution depot and hub – this makes maintenance much more convenient,” says Woodside.

He adds, “We were also impressed by the fuel consumption figures of the new Volvo units. We expect at least five years’ service and an average annual mileage of 140,000 kms from each of these vehicles, so fuel economy is a critical criterion.”

The vehicles were mostly Euro-5 FH-460 Globetrotter 6x2 tractor units with I-Shift, tinted glass, leather steering wheel and with air-con, fixed fifth wheel plate, although there were some 4x2 and some had Globetrotter XLs.

Four of the trucks also had Estepe axles, to reduce overall weight and there were some FE 4x2 240 18t curtainsiders and some FM-460 4x2 low-roof sleeper cab rigids with I-Shift for car transporters. All however, have all been delivered with a five-year repair and maintenance package with Dennison Commercials.

“We are delighted to have secured this large order from the Woodside Group,“ says Rob Ireland, Truck Sales Manager at Dennison Commercials. “The diversity of vehicles supplied demonstrates that Volvo can offer an attractive overall package to suit all operational requirements.”

Dennisons also recently undertook the conversion of two Woodside vehicles at the company’s bodyshop, transferring existing car transporter superstructures to the new rigid/trailer combination trucks each capable of carrying 13 cars or vans.

Posted in: Dennison Commercials,Investment,Logistics,Transport,Truck,Volvo,Woodside Group